Recently, topological effects of ring polymers have attracted much
attention in various fields of science such as physics, biology and
chemistry. DNA knots, knots in proteins, and synthetic ring polymers
have been extensively studied not only
theoretically but also experimentally. Furthermore, their properties are
described in terms of their topology. The
topology of a ring polymer is described by its knot type, and it does
not change under thermal fluctuations. The topology of polymers may
affect the macroscopic
properties of the system, and it is particularly interesting in soft
matter physics.

In the workshop ``Knots and soft matter physics: topology of polymers
and related topics in physics, mathematics and biology'', participants
will be able to exchange their knowledge and ideas with many researchers
of various different backgrounds, and thus contribute to the development
of this interdisciplinary branch of science.